ICC World Cup: Crowe hails courageous pupil Guptill for record 237

Wellington: New Zealand great Martin Crowe yesterday praised Martin Guptill's record-breaking World Cup feats after helping the batsman reinvent himself late in his career.

Martin Crowe

Crowe, who is battling terminal cancer, also tipped Ross Taylor to come good for the Black Caps, who face South Africa today. Guptill hit a World Cup-record 237 not out on Saturday.

After the 163-ball knock, the opener revealed that tips from Crowe had helped improve his batting, particularly his footwork and stance.

But Crowe said Guptill deserved the credit for being prepared to ask for help, then going back to the basics to alter his technique. "It's a courageous move to rebuild at 28," Crowe told Fairfax New Zealand.

'OMG'"He wants to be a successful Test batsman and he made the right call at the right time." Crowe said he sent Guptill a text message reading "OMG" after his innings, although he said it did not carry the standard meaning of "Oh My God". "(It) could also be read as 'Oh Marty Guptill' but actually it meant 'Oh My Gap'," he said.

"We've talked a lot over the last few months about not looking at fielders, about looking at gaps. The more the mind is focused on gaps the more it will find them." Crowe, who was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame last month said.